Questions Posed

As of Saturday there is a new team in DR! The team I'm working with this week is from Colorado Springs and they have been coming here for about 5 years. They work in an area of Santo Domingo called Las Brisas. I was warned several times about not only the craziness of this team but also the extraordinary heat in Brisas. So I tried to mentally and physical prepare myself for the collision of both of those things. VBS, teenage bible studies, adult bible studies, construction, dental cleaning and baseball are all on the agenda this week so it's a little hectic around here but hey, that's pretty normal. 

Today I was speaking to one of the women on the team and I was explaining that I'm working in DR for 5 weeks this summer then in January I am planning on studying abroad in Ghana, Africa until May. This shocked her because earlier I told her my ideal dream is to live and work in Dominican Republic. To her she heard Africa and 5 months and thought I was insane for desiring to go on a trip for that long especially in a place like Africa. She said to me "Why are you doing all of this?" That caught me off guard. I guess I had never heard it put that way. I have been pondering my answer to that question all day long. It's a simple answer. Why am I doing all of this? - Why not?

I think in American culture it has become so normal to choose the easiest and most comfortable life possible. A house in the suburbs where you and your high school sweetheart raise your two children, Sally and Joey and dog named Fido. You pick your major or career based on the annual salary not how it suits your strengths or passions. I was going to do that very thing. Speech pathologists make an average of $70,000 a year and I figured that was perfect, I could comfortably provide for my family. I could work part-time while raising my children in the suburbs and hopefully provide them with an easy and comfortable life. But where is the need for God in that life? A life like to me doesn't need God. You are making enough money and have a nice roof over your head. You aren't worrying about how you're going to make ends mean or for your safety. If you aren't uncomfortable or out of that comfort zone most often you aren't living day to day relying on God. I have decided to go against the flow and "make my passion my paycheck." Who knows what kind of money I will make or what my job will actually look like but I know that God will be the only reason it all works out. I am choosing to fully rely on His provisions and faith. God has given me a passion to explore other countries and the strength and confidence to do that. It dawned on me these past couple weeks how well I can hold my own even in a different country and with people who speak a different language. I have the patience necessary to connect with and handle children which is a gift not all people have. Overall, this place has so radically tranformed my life that I have in turn given my life to helping to transform the lives of people who live here. I have a love of the people of Dominican Republic and I have a love of helping people so why not mix the two together? 

Isaiah 61:1 

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives"

Craziness

Well, there are many things worth talking about tonight. But I'll start with this really cool guy named Sammy, who kindly and graciously put up with me for 3 weeks here in DR. Within a couple hours of meeting we were ditched at Provocone for dinner and had a discussion on humanity. Pretty much, Sammy is awesome and I'm going to make sure that we stay lifelong friends considering we spent so much time together in a place we both love. So sorry, you're stuck with me man! Thanks for amazing Sammy! (I know you'll read this eventually).
Second on the list to talk about is what the main event of this week looks like. WEDDING BELLS! I met a wonderful Dominican man and we are getting married...HA just kidding. On Thursday in Cotui nine couples from the town are tying the knot! NINE, NUEVO, NEUF! Wedding dresses, food, decorations, the couples are getting the whole deal. They never even considered the possibility of having a wedding ceremony or buying a wedding dress but thanks to the faithfullness of God these couples get to act on their love and partnership to get married! Thursday is going to be insane but I'm so honored to be a part of such a momentous and once in a lifetime experience.
Thirdly, last night was just a joyous night, well some of it was. The team from FBC is conducting a marriage seminar to prepare not only the couples getting married on Thursday but also others from the area. This meeting isn't until 7 pm so the men can come after work that means we are in Cotui from 11 am until 9-10 pm so the kids are with us ALL day long. Kids being kids, they misbehave and act out. So the young adults and I took the kids to the field that is next to the learning center to keep them entertained, occupied and quiet. Some kids were rapping, some kids were finger jousting, and others were climbing trees. We attempted to get a game started but the group of niños was distracted rather easily. As the sky darken and the rain started falling we all ended up holding hands, running around in a circle playing a mash up of ring around the rosey and tag. One person stood in the middle, closed their eyes and stuck out a hand, then the circle would run around and the person in the middle would say "boom" and whoever was in front of his or her hand when he or she said "boom" is out. The rain was coming down, everyone was holding hands and laughing and smiling. In those moments I thought to myself, how am I ever going to leave this? If these past three weeks have taught me anything it's that I am meant to live here. I will at some point in time live in Dominican Republic for a significant amount of time.
I have uno amiguito (a "little buddy")! His name is Shamil, he is 11, lives in Cotui and has been quite literally attached to my hip well in better words he has been draped across my shoulders constantly. He was hanging out with us as we played games the past couple nights. Once the adult meeting was over he and my other friend Nelson were walking with me back to the learning center and they started singing "McKinley, let's go" in their little dominican accents. My name sounds more like "Mackinney"when any kids in DR say it but still it's better than McKenzie. I often find myself in awe of the friendships I have created with kids all over this country. I don't speak Spanish so communication is awkward and rarely understood but simply saying hola, giving high fives or chasing kids is good enough to create lasting friendships.
I love this place and its people beyond words.

Perspective

During the past three days a small group of people spent the afternoon at the home of a local woman who needed work done on her home. Might I say I have never seen a Dominican house quite this bad. Imagine a third world version of a house on hoarders. It was incredible that a family was happily living in situations like that. I'm not easily phased by the poverty I witness in this world because I've seen it but this was even hard for me to handle. A colony of at least a dozen pigeons made their home in the rafts of the roof which could not be defined as a roof. This was wood slats laid across the length of the house. It leaked so much that the couple was forced to put a mattress in the rafts to soak up the rain and pigeon poop. The amount of dirt, dust, feces and who knows what else that was haphazardly swept off the floor would make every mom in America cringe. This home was filthy, however, I never saw anything but a smile on the faces of the residents. Today the roof was finished, just in time for rain and the group was able to finish and cover an extensive off the back door to give the woman of the house a covered place to cook her food, considering using the porch isn't ideal. 

After seeing this conditions of this house and the joy of the people who live in it I am again struck by the ungrateful attitude that I and most if not all of Americans have. Poor in America is equal to the filthy rich in a third world country. Remember that no matter how bad it is for you someone out there has it much worse. You have a roof over your head, the ability to read and access this and security in the meals of tomorrow. The majority of this world does not. God has blessed each and everyone of you! Thank Him continuously for what you have even if it seems insufficient or it isn't quite what you asked for. 

Romans 12:12-13

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

New Team, New Dynamic, Same Adventure

Well one team was ushered out and another one took their place. The team I am working with this week attend Faith Bible Church in Texas, it is the biggest team I will work with while I am here. In total including leaders the team is about 35 people! It is comprised of students from their youth group so many of them are high schoolers. They had quite the adventure getting here. Like normal plans often fail and fall apart when you travel abroad. They were supposed to arrive late Friday night as one group. Instead, they arrived on Saturday in four different sections. The drive from Santo Domingo where I was staying previously to the place we are staying (which is an hour outside of where we are working) is about 2 hours. So the team had to split up to travel to San Francisco. I was traveling with the translators and a team leader plus Ramon. Guess what happened? The van made a popping noise and then began smoking and overheating. We sat on the side of the road for about an hour while we tried to figure out how to fix the problem. We tried plastic bottles and jugs of all sorts but couldn't fit the exploded part. We ended up getting to San Francisco safe and sound. Finally the whole team was together and in San Francisco, tried, stressed and worn out. This team is working in Cotui which is pictured on the map below!

This area of Dominican Republic is very rural and extremely poor. The team from FBC has been involved with this project for 8 years which is insane! They have built most of the school and sent countless teams to the area. This trip is focused on VBS in the mornings and construction work in the afternoons. Paint. Mix concrete. Build roofs. Repeat. Not to mention doing this all in 90 degree temperatures with 90% humidity and zero AC. Due to an illness I was put in charge of leading crafts which might I say is quite a challenge. Kites with multiple little pieces and one translator and kids who don't always listen will be the death of me if I ever have to do it again.

I can say that meeting groups of strangers and getting attached to them only to say goodbye really stinks. Also having to transition to fit different roles within different team structures has been difficult. I have no clearly defined role as an intern so I fill any role that I am needed in. I love this country and was struck driving back from the beach that I would be completely content and comfortable to just never come back. If I spoke Spanish I can guarantee you that I wouldn't board my plane to Atlanta in July. I am at home when I am here and it is comforting to know that home can be anywhere. It also helps that I look Dominican! All my Dominican brothers tell me that if I didn't speak people would just assume I'm Dominican!

Keeping y'all (the Texans are rubbing off on me) updated is going to be difficult due to the fact I have limited access to internet for the next two weeks but I will try my best!

Happy and Crappy

As my time with the Rice team comes quickly to a close I am disappointed that I do not have relationships with them outside of this week long experience in DR.  It is true that once you go through an experience like this you become family. I only met these 18 people a week ago but it feels like I have known them for years and do that I am truly thankful! They have taught me so much especially the power of prayer. I felt like I was praying constantly being with these people. If something went wrong or someone wasn't feeling good the answer was prayer not medicine or chalking it up to stress. Prayer. That was surprising and yet somewhat weird to me. I know Jesus had the power to heal people directly and I was skeptical when listening to stories about physical healing through a pastor's prayer. After this week and some of the situations I was able to witness I am not as skeptical as I once was (if you want to know specific stories please feel free to Facebook chat me or contact me). The most wonderful part of this team were the very special ladies I got to hang with. Maggie W, Maggie R, Katy, Mylee, Addie, Allie and Jennifer are hands down the best. They all have amazing hearts that are open to what God has to teach them. I cherish the fact that I got to witness Dominican Republic change their hearts as much as it changed mine.

On the other hand, today I got to see my Dominican best friend, Dehuel, who was a translator on my second trip to Comendador. He was able to stop by the school this afternoon but like most plans in DR he showed up before I was expecting him. It was amazing. He told that he was going to come around 3 o’clock this afternoon but then he showed up at noon and I couldn't help but drop what I was doing to run and hug him. At one point today I was in a tiny school classroom with my almost my entire DR family. Ramon, Dehuel, Ronald, Ray, Billy, Doris, Oscar and Jordy (Nelson and Nehemiah were the only ones missing) and I couldn’t have been more thankful or joyful in those moments.

Bridging the Distance

What I continue to find comfort and happiness in would be knowing that while my family and friends are an ocean away I have a family here in Dominican Republic. I am working closely with Ramon (Nacho) who was one of my translators from my first trip. Not only have we remained friends over the course of 4 years but we continue to pick up where we left off as if I never went home. It has been a blast to work with him and continue to grow in our friendship! I love the fact that I have a Dominican big brother, well actually not just one, I have a lot of family in DR. All of the translators I have come into contact with such as Ronald, Dehuel, Nehemiah are like family and I have new brothers like Ray and Billy. The relationships I have with the locals isn't something that fades or disappears when I board a plane bound for Atlanta. These friendships span oceans and language barriers. The thread that weaves all of ours hearts together would be the love and faithfulness of God. I cannot thank God enough for the amazing people I have met here. Oh I have also concluded that I am indeed Dominican. Here are something photos from the past couple of day:

Day 1 - Jenny Rice Team

As day 1 comes to a close I am physically exhausted. That 6:45 wake up call was undesirable for sure but it ended up being a great day. By the end of my five weeks interning I think I'll be a lover of coffee as it is the only option for caffeine but so far I think my consumption of coffee has been mainly cream and sugar but hey, it got the job done. Today consisted of home visits, painting and listening and learning from the testimony of the woman, Maria, who founded this particular DR project (Altagracia). While walking around the community we had to navigate busy and hectic Dominican roads where you drive wherever and however you want as long as you don't hit anyone, bridge language gaps and create relationships with the locals. The team stopped by a house of a boy who broke his leg playing yes, of course, baseball. The team prayed for a healthy and quick recovery for the boy who attends the school Maria started. We busted out preparations for VBS and painted the entire school building after walking around. It was a busy and very humid day. The days will only become more packed considering VBS starts on Monday with a kick off carnival tomorrow so prayers for sustained health and energy for the team members, myself included. Pray that God will work in us and through us to reach and help more kids.

Welcomed Our First Team

Last night Corey Batowski, a VisionTrust team leader came in before the team he is leading came. I will be working alongside Corey this week leading a team of 18 from Ohio! We will be helping in DR project 6 which is located in Santo Domingo. We will be conducting a VBS, home visits and creating relationships with the locals. I am finding myself very excited to get started with my work and helping this team change lives and work as the hands and feet of Christ! Also I have bouts of nerves because I do not know these people yet and I am in charge of leading them. Prayers for healthy and strong relationships being created within the team and the leaders (Corey, Nelson, myself, and the translators), safety as we work, health and sustained energy throughout the week!

Already Sweating to Death

Well, I have been in Santo Domingo for 3 hours. I have already almost been in multiple car accidents, lost valuable hydration due to instant sweat and been to the grocery store. Welcome to Dominican right? My first team comes on Friday and they will be spending the week working in Santo Domingo so the team will be sleeping at the missions house with me! I am happy to finally be somewhat settled. I made all my flights, navigated the Atlanta airport and struggled through immigration and customs in DR. I'd say I'm off to a good start! Prayers for my health, the ability to adapt to a team coming in and that wonderful relationship with stem from this first week would be much appreciated.
Dios te Bendiga (God bless you)

12 Hours To Go

6/2/2015 - As I make my final preparations before venturing out on this crazy journey I am finding it hard to pinpoint my feelings. I am so incredibly excited because I am finally heading back to the place that so drastically changed my life, however; I am going on this journey alone for much a longer time than I have ever been in DR before so that is a little scary. My flight leaves at 7:10 a.m Wednesday morning and I stop in Atlanta to catch a connecting flight to Santo Domingo; I will land in Dominican Republic at 1 p.m! For those of you who have never been to the Atlanta airport it is the size of a small town, with a train to transport people to their gates so you could call that intimidating. I will be picked up at the Santo Domingo airport by a VisionTrust Dominicana employee and I officially start my work as an intern! Prayers for safe and smooth travels would be much appreciated, I have never flown by myself before so that is the biggest thing giving me anxiety as of now. I will try to update everyone at least once a week but I am planning on every other day as long as wifi and my energy levels cooperate.